


Lost Apple

by Pinx_B



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Light Angst, Romance, Yuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2020-02-04 10:06:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18602338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pinx_B/pseuds/Pinx_B
Summary: An unusual occurrence in Mugenkan leaves Elly with an unexpected guest..





	Lost Apple

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Like clockwork, Elly would notice it missing.

At first, she was somewhat befuddled at the idea of somebody loitering around the mansion.

After dealing with Reimu and Marisa, Mugenkan remained relatively peaceful with Yuuka going back to her usual routine. Though, the blonde noticed her eagerness to join to the two humans to their journey to Makai.

But back to the mystery at hand, Elly would routinely do her check of the grounds. She couldn't rely on Kurumi wholly to keep out intruders, especially if they were as powerful as Reimu and Marisa were. So she'd taken it upon herself to aid the vampire as extra precaution.

Whilst on a break, Elly would take a seat just outside the mansion gardens, a light snack of an apple to bade the time away as she gazed into the unusual colours of their world's landscape. 

However, one day she'd become so enraptured in her thoughts that Elly hadn't noticed the missing fruit she had placed down next her as she got comfortable.

The ripened red fruit simply disappeared without a trace, leaving the woman perplexed.

No matter where she checked, including the frills within her dress, the apple was nowhere to be seen.

 _"It probably just rolled off"_ she mused to herself, _"These things tend to happen around here. Lady Yuuka really ought to take more action towards said ongoing"_.

That was the only thought Elly gave it before returning to the mansion.

The following day, the same string of events occurred.

Elly becoming dazed enough to filter out everything around her which allowed the whole thing to happen often. 

A sweet smelling apple gone before the owner could take a delectable bite.

Then a cold layer of air settling around the bench.

Like clockwork.

It piqued Elly's interest as opposed to any anger at what was occurring. She wanted to know what could dare to wander into the fearful Kazami Yuuka's garden's for an apple.

Out of the gatekeepers hand no less. 

Barely any visitors dropped by unless they felt brave.

 

So, that afternoon, before Elly left the mansion, she picked the juiciest apple she could find.

She felt pleased with the selection as she washed and wiped it clean, the reflection showing her blonde curls and yellow eyes the surface of the fruit was that clear. It felt plump in her hand but retained a firmness which indicated it was going to be just as crunchy. 

Grabbing her scythe, Elly departed from her home and made her way past the immense property area of the mansion. 

A mixture of feelings were rushing around the blonde's mind whilst she continued on. Curiosity dominated the apprehension and worry, the strange activity being mostly unusual. 

Who would go to such lengths for an apple?

 _"Well, they are certainly not bad apples"_ Elly thought, _"Hm, why do I feel like I've said that before?"_. 

The other question was how did the assailant swipe the fruit with such speed that she couldn't notice? 

 _"I suppose that is my doing for wandering off in my mind"_ she concluded and smiled. 

Last but not least, Elly wondered why the stranger didn't just make themselves known? 

 _"Perhaps they are shy"_ the blonde debated as she reached her destination. 

Not a being or person was in the vicinity she noticed whilst closing the space between herself and the bench. Elly made sure she was as alert as can be, her mission firmly rotating around her thought process. This including acting as normally as possible in order for there to be no suspicion. 

So Elly placed her scythe down on one side before taking a seat, her golden eyes doing another quick sweep as she would have done. 

The woman waited a few moments, relaxing as she pretended to settle into her break by taking the apple out of her pocket and placing it next to her. 

Her hand lingered on the fruit for a brief second before she folded them together on her lap. She couldn't help the small smile creak upon her lips as she was completely focused on that spot alone. Despite her eyes being ahead, Elly was determined to find out the perpetrator and the possibility of being so close sent a thrill of excitement to course through her. 

 _"Not long now"_ , Elly thought to herself, _"I know you are here"_. 

 

In a split second, the temperature around the woman dipped significantly. 

It was the sign Elly needed as she quickly whipped around and placed a hand on top of the apple. 

The whole scenario happened in a dash of seconds without knowing what to expect. 

So Elly was taken aback to find a guilty pair of golden eyes locked onto hers and a gloved hand beneath her own. 

"Uh..hello?".

The soft voice snapped Elly out of her daze as she eyed up the suspect again, not quite sure what to say or do. 

"Who might _you_ be?". 

"I'm sorry!". 

Amused by the response, Elly smiled, "Your name is..sorry?". 

Her hand remained over the other blonde's without either realising as they were too enraptured in taking each other in. 

"Oh, no no. My name Kana" the woman mentioned sheepishly as she attempted to remove her palm off of the apple, "Kana Anaberal". 

"I see" Elly replied, _"What a charming name"_ she pondered when a touch beneath her fingers made her look away, "Ah, my apologies" she quickly said and moved her hand away from Kana's. 

Kana smiled as she stepped in front of the bench when Elly stood up too. She noticed the other woman was at least a head taller than she was, which made her glance up into honey coloured iris's. 

" _I_ should be the one apologising to you..? " she managed to say whilst waiting for a name. 

"Elly".

"Elly? Pretty name" she grinned. 

The compliment took Elly by surprise, considering the fact that she had thought the same thing but didn't have the nerve to voice it. 

"Thank you" she replied as she gathered herself, "I, I suppose I am incredibly confused as to why?" she then added, her wrist motioning in the direction of the apple.

Kana glanced at the appetising fruit first before looking at Elly when the gatekeeper continued speaking. 

"Do you enjoy them as vastly as you do?".

"I..don't really eat them".

Elly raised a blonde brow, "You don't? I'm not sure if I should take offence to that" she couldn't help but chuckle. 

Taking it as a positive sign, Kana explained further. 

"It's a bit of a long story but, I take them back to the mansion that I haunt". 

Suddenly, the drop in temperature made sense to Elly, as did a few other factors such as the unusual paleness of Kana's skin. 

"You are a..".

"Poltergeist" Kana completed with a wink, "That's me". 

"Well, I must say I wasn't expecting _this_ at all. Why don't you sit down" Elly offered, much to Kana's astonishment. 

"Really? I've been stealing your apples, should you not be taking me to the mistress of the mansion?". 

The faux fear in the blonde's voice made Elly laugh under her breath as she scooped the apple up and sat down, patting the seat so that Kana could join her. 

Elly had already divulged the ongoing scenario to Yuuka and the woman was mystified by it too. She left it in Elly's capable hands, intervening if she needed help in dealing with the situation. 

"Lady Yuuka is not as threatening as her reputation precedes. Well, that isn't to say she is a woman to be reckoned with but in this case, it is alright" Elly reassured when Kana took a seat. 

Their bodies were angled in a way that they could look at each other as they spoke. 

"Thank you, I truly don't deserve your hospitality though" Kana admitted with a slight blush on her face. 

"No harm done, honestly. Though your tale would be more than an acceptable form of apology" the gatekeeper chuckled, "So, what were the fates of my apples if you were not consuming them?". 

"They became a gift". 

"Is that so?". 

Kana nodded, though Elly could notice a fizzle of uncertainly in the woman's demeanour, considering how she was before. 

"Did they accept it?".

"Ah, not quite. You see, she isn't here anymore" Kana elaborated, "She made me I guess. Then she disappeared". 

There was something about the sentence which pierced Elly's heart, sympathy pouring out of the wound. 

 _"A mother perhaps?"_ Elly wondered, not knowing whether she should pry but Kana filled in the blanks for her. 

"My mistress was a little girl. A very unwell human I may add. She didn't have many friends as her parents feared that any outside contact would harm her which explains how I came to be. Her imagination was all she had before she left the world".

"How saddening.." Elly said and gauged the other woman's reaction, "If I may ask, what was the ailment causing her loss?". 

Kana managed a smile as she dragged her golden eyes away from Elly's but the gatekeeper could see it was just as painful. 

"I..don't know, Elly" she told her, "I can't recall much. All I can do is haunt a mansion that people no longer fear with a faint memory of a mistress who loved apples. _My_ memories, dreams are lost and limited". 

"Kana..".

Elly's heart ached for her guest. 

She hadn't expected a tale filled with such despair for those involved. Certainly not the charming spirit in front of her. 

Kana seemed to have no purpose other than a vague memory of the girl who created her. 

"So, whenever I find an apple that is untainted and sweet, I leave it at her grave in the mausoleum. She loved apples" she ended as her fingers wrung through the white apron, "But I heard of this mansion's apples being the most exquisite and I just _had_ to see if it was the truth" Kana beamed, offering her host a genuine grin, "And those rumours were true. Though..it doesn't excuse me taking them the way I did".

Elly quickly shook her head without her hat falling, "It really isn't an issue. I just thought I was losing my mind. Lady Yuuka likes to tease me about it". 

"She sounds really nice" Kana commented, "She's lucky to have you looking out for her, Elly, you are incredibly kind".

"Oh I don't know about that. There is no need for any hostility for something like this. In fact, I, I'm flattered my apples were to your liking and deemed worthy of being a gift". 

"Hm, see? That's why the apples are so sweet. The person who tends to them is just the same" the blonde grinned and pulled down her hat slightly.

Elly noticed another pink hue resting on the woman's cheeks when she moved her head up again, She was pleased that Kana could learn to be so positive about matters, considering what she had just told her. 

It made the gatekeeper wonder about her own fate. 

"Is there any way I can make up for what I did? I still feel bad". 

"Kana, I insist there was no harm done" Elly assured, "You are more than welcome to take as many as you'd like. I'm sure your mistress would love the gesture" she smiled warmly, feeling a slight connection to Kana. 

The offer made Kana a little shell shocked, her pink lips parted as her eyes bore into Elly's orbs. Elly showed little trace of teasing with her, an earnest expression washing over her stunning features. 

"Seriously?". 

Slowly, Elly took one of Kana's hands and placed the apple in her palm. She kept their fingers clasped together, the tips of her digits lingering on the edge of the other blonde's wrist . 

"Seriously" she laughed softly, "There is plenty to go around".

"With an offer like that, how can I say no?" Kana replied, a longing she hadn't felt in such a considerable amount of time enclosing around her, "Thanks, Elly, I don't know what to say" she exhaled lightly. 

The touch of the woman's fingers reinvigorated her senses, almost like Elly was reviving them from a lengthy slumber and in a way, Elly had done just that. 

"That alone is enough so feel free to drop by whenever". 

"Oh wonderful, another mansion for me to haunt" Kana said playfully whilst placing her other hand on top of Elly's still holding the apple, "This one seems a _lot_ more livelier too. Uh, pun totally intended". 

It got Elly to laugh again before she replied, "If you get lonely, I am looking for an occupant that loves to haunt old mansions, perhaps you'll know where I could find her? ". 

With a vibrant smile, Kana squeezed her hand over Elly's as their bodies were close enough that the edges of their hats were pressed together. 

She had a feeling she'd be spending what time she wasn't at her Lady's grave, with Elly. 

"I'm your spirit!". 


End file.
